The case for increasing the level of autonomy and automation for space exploration is well known. Strin- gent communications constraints are present, including limited communication windows, long communication
latencies, and limited bandwidth. Additionally, limited
access and availability of operators, limited crew availability,
system complexity, and many other factors often preclude
direct human oversight of many functions. In fact, it can be
said that almost all spacecraft require some level of autonomy, if only as a backup when communications with humans
are not available or fail for some reason.

Increasing the levels of autonomy and automation using
techniques from artificial intelligence allows for a wider variety of space missions and also frees humans to focus on tasks
for which they are better suited. In some cases autonomy and
automation are critical to the success of the mission. For
example, deep space exploration may require more autonomy in the spacecraft, as communication with ground operators is sufficiently infrequent to preclude continuous human
monitoring for potentially hazardous situations.

Space applications of AI can also be divided in terms of
three kinds of operations they support: predictable, unpredictable, and real time (Jónsson et al. 2007). Even predictable
operations can be extremely complex — enabling artificial
intelligence to play a key role in automation to manage complexity or to assist human decision making. Unpredictability
of the operating environment increases requirements on the
AI system to appropriately respond in a wide range of situations. Real-time requirements may impose limitations on the
amount of reasoning performed by the AI system.

n We are pleased to introduce the space
application issue articles in this issue of
AI Magazine. The exploration of space
is a testament to human curiosity and
the desire to understand the universe
that we inhabit. As many space agencies around the world design and deploy
missions, it is apparent that there is a
need for intelligent, exploring systems
that can make decisions on their own in
remote, potentially hostile environments. At the same time, the monetary
cost of operating missions, combined
with the growing complexity of the
instruments and vehicles being
deployed, make it apparent that substantial improvements can be made by
the judicious use of automation in mission operations.